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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · ball · wake · board · content · fork · bear · plane

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. ball — a dance
  3. rule — a law
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fork — in a road
  9. content — the amount
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. board — a committee
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. content — happy
  19. rule — government
  20. wake — a trail
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. board — to get on
  24. plane — a tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com